Is it just me or does everyone wonder what it will take?

Is it just me or does everyone wonder what it will take?

Australia is literally burning. What isn’t on fire is sweltering, with fire crews on high alert.
A report released yesterday claimed Australia is the worst performing country on climate change policy and Mother Nature is clearly fed up.
But it’s not just politicians that need to act, it’s you and me too.
Little things can make a big difference.
Like water. Every time you turn off the tap while you brush your teeth you are doing a good thing. If you fix a leaky pipe you save as much as 340 litres a day.
We all need to stop drinking bottled water. Everyone needs a steel water bottle they carry with them and a keep cup for coffee on the run. No more disposable containers.
Be car conscious. Is it close enough to walk, bike or take the bus? Can you car pool? Can you combine school pick up, groceries and the dog park in one trip? Keep your tyres pumped up and service your car regularly.
Even one car off on the road makes a difference.
It still amazes me when grown ups don’t put aluminium cans and glass bottles in the recycling bin. Anything single use is a massive problem for the world. We still need to consume things, but we can lighten our load on the world so easily.
Take reusable bags to the shops and try not to use disposable plates, spoons, glass, cups and napkins. They create huge amounts of waste. If you have to buy them, at least buy the ones made out of recycled product.
Cook at home, buy from farmers markets and maybe even grow your own veges.
Give Composting a try. Approximately 50% of the rubbish Australians put in the everyday mixed-waste ‘garbage bin’ could be put to better use in the garden as compost and mulch.
Organic matter in your bin makes it stink and buried in landfill it produces methane gas. In fact, land fill causes more than 3% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
And most of all, think about your electricity. Open a window or put on a jumper instead of turning on the air conditioner. Hang your clothes on the line. Turn off the lights and appliances that you aren’t using. Install solar. Buy energy efficient bulbs. Make sure your doors and windows are sealed. Install ceiling fans and replace old appliances with energy efficient ones.

Being vigilant about power is not only good for the environment, it saves you money too.

Bringing your own bag to the supermarket may not do much to reduce carbon emissions, and we know we need government action and regulatory framework to drive real change. But we are all a part of it and we can start today.

Caroline xx